Information Bulletin
10 June 2004
Lerwick Mid Summer Spree
The Lerwick Shopping Week now renamed Lerwick Mid-Summer Spree takes place between 19th and 26th June. This event coincides with the ever popular music week co-ordinated by Shetland Arts Trust and the first ever Shetland Blues Festival so its all shaping up to be a great week to be in Town with loads of activities to suit all tastes and age groups.
The Lerwick Mid-Summer Spree kicks off this year with a family fun day in the Toll Clock Shopping Centre on the 19th where attractions include a display of Highland Dancing, Entertainment from visiting magician Malcolm Russell, a display by Shetland Landrover Club, Craft Stalls, and some great Smart Card promotions.
Throughout the week participating retailers will be undertaking promotions, discounts and special offers so it's a great time to go out and do some shopping and see the wide variety of goods available. There is extra entertainment laid on for those folk on the street including appearances from Malcolm Russell visiting Magician. Elma Johnson of Island Trails is offering extra tours of Lerwick so it's a great opportunity to go and hear some Tales of Lerwick's History. This year the Islesburgh trust have co-ordinated another visit from the "Walk the Plank" theatre company and their very popular theatre ship which will be berthed at Victoria Pier. Performances of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea are from the 25th -27th June.
Children should look out for the "Odd Man Out" competition. Participating shops will be displaying an item in their window that they wouldn't normally sell and if bairns under 12 can guess all the odd items they have a chance of winning the £75 top prize!! Application forms are included in the Lerwick Mid Summer Spree leaflet which is available at participating shops and other locations around town.
This week also sees the arrival of the yachts taking part in the annual Bergen -Shetland Race with the fastest yachts arriving in on Thursday, so far 38 yachts have signed up to take part so it should be a busy week in Lerwick harbour.
The whole week finishes with the now familiar Pier Pressure event on Victoria Pier, this year, as always there will be some great live music as well as a Craft Fair, Food Stalls, Environmental displays, a Bouncy Castle and Face painters for the bairns and a Bungee Run for the some of the older bairns (and grown ups)!
If you're visiting the environmental tent this year bring along some plant bulbs and you will get energy saving light bulbs in exchange! The Northern & Western Isles Energy Efficiency Advice Centre are running a 'bulbs for bulbs' scheme where you can swap packets of plant bulbs for 2 energy saving light bulbs, the collected flower bulbs will then be donated to schools participating in the Eco-Schools scheme.
The Shetland Jarl Squads will be parading through the town on Saturday afternoon, this year they've extended their parade, starting at the Gala at 2pm, visiting the Toll Clock and walking through town, finishing on Victoria Pier at about 3:30pm
This year the co-ordinators have laid on a free shuttle bus running on both Saturday the 19th and 26th from the Toll Clock to the Esplanade, also visiting the Gala on the 26th so there no excuse not to make the most of all the activities happening throughout the town!
Ends